Asparagus

Sat Aug 02, 2008 4:38 pm

How come I can't grow asparagus. This year the same one came up again, but all the seeds and roots we planted in the fall... nada, zilch, zippo, notaone.. zero... no asparagus.

I keep getting told you cannot kill asparagus and even an idjit can grow it.. so what is up with me here.. I need some sure fire explicit directions on growing asparagus. And can I retry now with say 90-100 days left before the first major frost? And do I have to mulch the asparagus patch so it don't freeze??

I used to dislike asparagus, but that was before I tried it young and raw... boy, do I like it -- a lot. And you can't get it young, no one sells it even at the farmers market.. they all like it big and soft and I don't... So I gotta grow it ifn I want it.. and boy do I want it..

Re: Asparagus

Sat Aug 02, 2008 5:41 pm

http://www.noursefarms.com/HomeGardeners/PlantingGuide/Hi Rudi this a planting guide for a local nursery. My parents raised about ten acres when I was a kid I would not touch it, now I cannot get enough. Hadley Ma where I live has been called the asparagus capital of the U.S., and was served at the Whitehouse this season. I hope to put a bed in next spring. I do know you plant the roots in deep furrows alot of people use old horse drawn plows to go deep. You gradually fill in the furrows as the plants grow. Also you do not harvest for the 1st 3 years I believe and you do not cut all of the asparagus when you begin to harvest. I know there is more info on the net I think the Ma, growers ma have one. Nourse farms is a local operation and they are very helpful. Good luck.

Re: Asparagus

Sat Aug 02, 2008 5:47 pm

Joe:

Thanks. Got it saved. I did just about everything mentioned there. We had lots of water, the bed is raised and well drained. The furrows were 6-8" deep and it was fertilized. Oh well, gotta keep trying.. At this rate though, I will be 60 before I get any...

Re: Asparagus

Sat Aug 02, 2008 8:19 pm

Bev has a patch we have been harvesting for 10 years or more. Had to let it grow for 2 years before any harvest. Only light picking that year a week or two the heavier the 3rd year and hit it heavy ever since. It takes heavy composting every year. The raised beds you mention bother me. We planted it deep and filled in a bit every year with compost till the ground was level. That took 4 years if I remember.

Re: Asparagus

Sun Aug 03, 2008 1:28 pm

Rudi, I also have tried to grow Asparagus with no luck. May try again. I thank I will let Betty try her hand this time. Jim

Re: Asparagus

Sun Aug 03, 2008 9:16 pm

When I worked for a water softener dealer there was a man that bought several bags of rock salt for his asparagus bed every year. He raised it to sell, and said it was a salt water plant and the salt helped it.

Re: Asparagus

Sun Aug 03, 2008 9:43 pm

John:

I googled Asparagus and ended up on Wikipedia. Fascinating reading. Seems you are correct, it is a maritime plant and likes salt, unfortunately salt is not so good for the rest of the plot.. Not sure what to do. Maybe put a little salt in the area of the asparagus and hope it doesn't migrate to the rest of the bed.

Re: Asparagus

Mon Aug 04, 2008 10:15 am

I'm in the process of establishing 2 new beds. One bed started this year and one started last year. The bed started this year appears to be doing great. The one started last year - so-so.These two beds, I dug down about 18 inches then filled with a 50/50 mixture of manure and soil in the fall - then planted the following spring.

I have tried to establish two bed on son's acreage. Those two bed have done nothing - thinking its the soil or soil type. Lot of clay, very shallow top soil, hard pan within 12" of surface.

I'm currently using seeds started in a germinater. Once the seedling is about 10 inches tall, bury the seedling about 8 inches deep in the plot, all but the top leafy portion. This process seems to be working well.

Mulching. I have an asparagus bed in Iowa where the frost line is 36". Not mulched.

So, I really don't know the answer.

Re: Asparagus

Mon Aug 04, 2008 11:29 am

Eugene:

Well we have seeds, so I think maybe you might have part of the answer. I am going to see if Em will be able to germinate and start the asparagus seedlings. I am going to fertilize with manure this fall, that whole bed along with the rest of my gardens. Will retry in the spring for the new bed.

Anyone else with any growing tips, ideas, thoughts.... I am open to.. I really want to get this bed growing.

Spend a few bucks on a soil test can relieve frustration and wasted $$$$$$.

Bill

Re: Asparagus

Mon Aug 04, 2008 2:12 pm

Bill:

You are an old smoothie you know that huh?

I knew about the soil test, but couldn't for the life of me remember where I had seen it on line. I dislike the gov pages.. but when I find em I bookmarkem. Seems like your extension agent thingy is workin well.

I will do the test I think. I enjoyed the OSU.edu article. Good info there too.

Now here is another question for you. If asparagus really needs some localized salt, can it be added to a mixed use bed without disastrous results to say the lavender, rosemary, thyme and rhubarb that would be close beside it?

Maybe I will be successful next year.

Thanks.

Re: Asparagus

Mon Aug 04, 2008 3:44 pm

Rudi wrote:... Now here is another question for you. If asparagus really needs some localized salt, can it be added to a mixed use bed without disastrous results to say the lavender, rosemary, thyme and rhubarb that would be close beside it?

Maybe I will be successful next year.

Thanks.

Rudi,

Help me out here, "localized salt?' Translate please.

Bill

Re: Asparagus

Mon Aug 04, 2008 8:07 pm

Asparagus has both male and female plants. When you plant seed you gets what you get. You can buy selected plants you can get all female for best results. Bev planted hers in the spring and I just noticed you planted in the fall.